Stories for August 2017

The man charged with helping to negotiate Britain's free trade deals around the world post-Brexit has said the agreements can help improve global security. Crawford Falconer, who will work with International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox, said there was a “powerful political and security element to getting this right”.

The UK government has set out proposals to ensure trade in goods and services can continue on the day the UK leaves the EU in March 2019. A position paper calls for goods already on the market to be allowed to remain on sale in the UK and EU without additional restrictions. It also calls for consumer protections to remain in place.

The Falklands government and the UK Ministry of Defense held an event to congratulate officers involved in a drug seizure from a trawler. Corporal Amanda Matthews and Customs Officer Matt Jenkins attended Government House on Tuesday night to receive commendations for their recent successful joint operation which resulted in a drug seizure.

Tactical voting reached a new peak at June's general election as voters tried to get round a failed system, according to electoral reform campaigners. The Electoral Reform Society branded the poll a “hold your nose election,” claiming 6.5 million voted tactically rather than for what they believed in.

In the latest in a series of papers setting out its Brexit negotiating plans, the government will say disputes need to be resolved in a clear and sensible way, saying it is determined to agree new arrangements. This will be crucial for both UK and EU citizens and businesses that buy and sell across borders, it says.

Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay US$417m to a woman who says she developed ovarian cancer after using products such as baby powder. The California jury's decision marks the largest award yet in a string of lawsuits that claim the firm did not adequately warn about cancer risks from talc-based products.

Chilean Constitutional court on Monday ruled that a law legalizing abortion in certain cases is constitutional, a win for President Michelle Bachelet’s ruling coalition and for groups that have campaigned for years against the country’s strict ban.

A Chinese automaker is deeply interested in buying Jeep, an iconic American brand, from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in a move that likely would face political opposition in the U.S. and create angst among workers. Great Wall Motor told trade publication Automotive News it also has indirectly expressed interest in acquiring the brand known for its rugged, off-road vehicles.

President Donald Trump announced on Monday night his administration’s plans to continue the engagement of the United States military in Afghanistan, a strategy meant to combat the influence of the Taliban and the ISIS affiliate in the country that will for go a formal timetable and instead rely upon conditions on the ground to guide U.S. activities.

The Big Ben has fallen silent for major repair work expected to last until 2021. The Monday midday bongs were the last regular chimes from the famous bell until the repairs to its tower are complete. It will still be used for special occasions, including New Year's Eve and Remembrance Sunday.